A replicable international cooperation model involving 37 Egyptian companies through over 400 hours of capacity building in Egypt and Italy
Cairo, 3 February 2026 – The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Arab Republic of Egypt (MoPMR), The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and Proger S.p.A. have announced the successful completion of the Energy Efficiency Training Program (EETP), an international capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening technical and managerial competencies for energy efficiency and the low-carbon transition in Egypt’s oil & gas sector. Proger, a leading Italian engineering and management company, delivered the program through its Egyptian branch, training 193 professionals from the Ministry and 37 affiliated companies.
The program conducted by the Italian experts integrated low-carbon transition modules on energy management and efficiency systems fundamentals, alongside analytical, managerial, and financial skills. This enabled participants to identify, assess and implement practical energy-saving solutions across operational facilities. Funded by the EBRD through the EU Neighborhood Investment Platform, the program represents a strong model of international public-private cooperation aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Egypt’s national strategies for energy and climate.
Mark Davis, EBRD Managing Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region, stated: “The EBRD’s investment in green energy transition reflects a long-term strategic commitment to enabling systemic decarbonization,“. “By prioritizing capacity building across technical, financial, and managerial domains, we help unlock the full potential of energy sector transformation. We are proud to support the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ forward-looking vision and commend Proger’s excellence in delivering complex energy initiatives“.
Advanced Training, Tangible Results and Measurable Impact
The impact of the program extends beyond capacity building. Participants identified a broad range of efficiency-improvement opportunities across sector operations. Four flagship projects were developed as case study through rigorous technical and financial assessment, demonstrating practical pathways for improving performance and supporting the Ministry’s long-term strategy for enhancing energy management within the petroleum sector.
Program Structure: Proger’s Multidisciplinary Approach
The EETP was executed by Proger through four operational tasks distributed over 12-months period, totaling 441 hours of theoretical and on-job training. The curriculum combined technical competencies in energy efficiency with complementary managerial, analytical and financial skills, ranging from financing mechanisms to the soft skills required to manage complex energy projects. Italian and international experts used 30 specialized technical manuals and 50 handouts, delivered 9 practical workshops using real case studies, and conducted 12 field visits to operational facilities.
The program integrated:
Task 1 involved theoretical training in Cairo and Alexandria covering energy efficiency fundamentals, ISO 50001 management systems and optimization techniques. This includes practical exercises and tailored energy efficiency walkthrough reports developed at three major facilities, including refinery and gas-processing sites.
Task 2 focused on internal auditing, during which Proger developed three ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management Systems in collaboration with three selected sector companies.
Task 3 trained senior managers through Proger’s specialist partner Profinstance Advisory & Training Inc. on financing mechanisms, financial modelling and data analytics for structuring bankable energy efficiency projects.
Task 4 conclude the program with a 10-day study tour in Italy, where the top ten participants visited the ENI Sannazzaro refinery and Porto Marghera biorefinery, two world-class examples of energy management and sustainable fuel transition, consolidating an enduring knowledge flow between Italy and Egypt.
Mauro Della Giovampaola, Proger’s Director of International Business Operations: “We are proud to have contributed our experience in the energy sector to this transformative project. I thank the EBRD and the Egyptian government for their trust and collaboration, which were fundamental to the program’s success, and we hope for its continuation with increasingly targeted and effective pathways thanks to the constructive feedback received. The excellent results achieved open promising prospects for the development of similar initiatives in other international contexts, consolidating Proger’s role as a strategic partner for top-level institutions“.
